Pakistan studying ‘Cold Start Doctrine’ of Indian Army

[The Watcher]

Pakistan studying ‘Cold Start Doctrine’ of Indian Army

Islamabad - Pakistan said that it is closely studying the implication of the ‘‘Cold Start Doctrine’’, which according to media reports here was sought to be implemented by Indian Army during the 2002 border tensions with Pakistan.

Pakistan’s Defence spokesman Maj Gen Shoukat Sultan said even though Pakistan do not feel threatened by the doctrine, it was studying its implications. ‘‘Cold Start Doctrine’’ meant launching lightning ground and airstrikes and take over of the enemy country without giving much time for the rival army to hit back. According to media reports, Indian Army considered the implementation of the cold start after massing the troops along the Pakistan borders during the tensions that followed the attack on the Parliament in December 2001.

‘‘We cannot out rightly ignore the cold start doctrine, but we strongly believe that it is not a viable proposition in the case of Pakistan,’’ ISPR chief told reporters while answering a question. ‘‘This could perhaps work for a banana republic or for that matter a small state, where operating under this doctrine foreign forces could land one fine morning without any warning and fulfil the objective by capturing strategic positions,’’ he said, adding that Pakistan’s case was altogether different.

 

[mysterious]

Now thats the way to put it!! Maybe somebody should remind 'some people' that Pakistan aint no Banana republic and there are no 'fine' mornings for enemy forces to just land on Pakistani soil and take the country within no time. 'Whoever' wants to come, let them come, as none shall leave alive.

 

[The Watcher]

How about breakfast in Lahore, mysterious? :lolol

 

[mysterious]

Oh yeah, I remember that one! Wrong city to say that about I'd say, but then again, even if it was any other city, the end result would be the same.

 

[gf0012-aust]

The Indian concept of "Cold Start" is more or less what every major military is undergoing as part of a review.

The Russians actually started it in the early 80's with the prototype "RMA" That was a legacy of seeing that huge forces were unwieldy and cost prohibitive. They never really implemented it and have only just started it in the last 6 months.

The US looked at the Russian RMA model and had the seeds of it developing in 1989, by 1999-2000 they had it in substantial place.

China has dramatically changed it's force structure since assessing the US approach to Kuwait, the Gulf War and Afghanistan (which showed how specforces could be used in a surgical masse manner)

The UK, Australia, France, Germany are all going through force restructure.

In a real sense it's not unexpected that India and Pakistan go through the same review process.

The days of keeping large standing armies on hold are probably gone for battles that were designed around force majeur and massed meeting engagements - and maybe the only ones who haven't realised it are the North Koreans and Myanmar.

 

[mysterious]

Aha! I knew I was missing that part. Just couldn't get it to come through. Couldn't have said it better myself gf. :smokingc:

 

[manna]

hi , does any one have any link to this complete doctrine , i mean the info whr is started , how it developed and wat all are its effects, i am in detail, and how can it effect pakistan, imean wat all is required by pakistan to guard against it, etc , plz put forward the views, thx , and links if possibe, ,i wana study this concept in detail , help me gentlemen, thanks,

 

[manna]

Hi gf , how r u , u seeems to have a detail study over the subj so , can u plz help me in this regarddm, i mean recommend to me links , plz , i will be gratefull, thx in anticipation

 

[mysterious]

LOL. There isnt a topic (which I've come across yet) which Gary doesnt know about. I'm sure he can help you out manna. Besides, there is already a public copy of the doctrine in one of the threads on this forum if my mind serves me right (as I remember seeing it - maybe).

 

[ajay_ijn]

hi , does any one have any link to this complete doctrine , i mean the info whr is started , how it developed and wat all are its effects, i am in detail, and how can it effect pakistan, imean wat all is required by pakistan to guard against it, etc , plz put forward the views, thx , and links if possibe, ,i wana study this concept in detail , help me gentlemen, thanks,

Well Cold Start doctrine Stresses on rapid Deployment,C4I upgradation,Massive air support by IAF etc many more things.

I did not get the whole doctrine but i got its detailed review and the author is Consultant for South Asian Analysis Group.
http://www.saag.org/papers10/paper991.html

This is Part-2 of the above aricle.
http://www.saag.org/papers11/paper1013.html

 

[mysterious]

Well this topic is a bit old now as I'm sure by now the doctrine has already been studied at great lengths by Pakistan and a counter doctrine developed or in development (that is, if they felt the need to do so keeping in mind their objectives). :smokingc:

 

[aaaditya]

hey guys any further info on this(does it also belong to the cold start doctrine)

http://www.indiareacts.com/archivefeatures/nat2.asp?recno=66&ctg=

Test of fire

If the Indian Army succeeds with the 100-gun concept, it could change the rules of engagement with Pakistan.

By Our correspondent

18 January 2003: The Ambala-based headquarter II corps (one of the strike corps) has been tasked to carry out an exercise over the next couple of months which, if successful, could result in a paradigm shift in the Indian Army’s firepower strategy

Known as the 100-gun concept, it finds its origin in the military doctrine of the erstwhile Soviet Union. The concept aims at effecting maximum destruction on the enemy’s military and key civilian assets before the infantry can physically move in and capture territory.

Labeled as being rather expensive, this concept was buried by armies across the globe after the Soviet collapse. The concept involves 100 or more artillery guns to provide support to three infantry battalions as opposed to the Western doctrine of 64 guns for three infantry units.

The problem with the Soviet doctrine was that if the enemy were to open more than a couple of fronts, moving artillery pieces and other firepower assets would prove not just expensive but also cumbersome and predictable. In fact, opening several small fronts by way of swift manoeuvres lay at the heart of NATO’s strategic doctrine against the Soviets.

This concept, however, has found new life in India. During the Kargil conflict, between 100-120 guns on an average supported three infantry units. This was complimented by air power, namely laser-guided bombs. Together, the firepower component in Kargil was able to inflict a telling damage, officials said, on enemy positions making it easier for an infantry assault.

Recently, during Operation Parakram, the strategy of degradation operations in the Northern Command involved complete and thorough destruction of the enemy’s war-making capabilities, officials added.

Here too, a combination of artillery and air power formed the centrepiece of the strategy.

According to officials, the future India war scenario will be sectoral in nature, given the political compulsion not to escalate the conflict beyond a particular region. This would allow India to shift firepower resources, say, to the LoC from other sectors. This, in turn, would reduce the guns-to-men ratio enabling the implementation of the 100-gun concept.

Moreover, since the capture of territory is ruled out due to political compulsions, the destruction of enemy assets has emerged as a key marker of success in war these days, officials added.

Insiders also say that the successful execution of this exercise could impact future procurement of artillery and armour and increase the stress on air power. But this change would require more than a few successful exercises – and not before the Indian military is convinced that Pakistan won’t counter the 100-gun concept in novel ways.

 

[mysterious]

Tell me you're not serious! Just 'cuz of Kargil, they're introducing this 100-gun concept? Kargil was 'not' a full-fledged war and Pakistan did not open 'any' fronts along the international border; cuz if it did, the Indian Army would've found very quickly why no one uses the 100-gun concept.

History tells us how difficult mobility was for Indian troops and their supplies n equipment as compared to their Pakistani counterparts in all the 'full-fledged' wars that've taken place. Anywayz, to introduce this concept, wouldn't be the smartest move as far as I can tell.

 

[ajay_ijn]

History tells us how difficult mobility was for Indian troops and their supplies n equipment as compared to their Pakistani counterparts in all the 'full-fledged' wars that've taken place..

No way can u just give me a example of their mobility in the past wars.
India has a problem war like kargil,but in a full fleged war india will show its clear dominance
In 1947-48 almost all Indian troops and their supplies were rapidly airlifted into kashmir by 100+ Daktota Transport Aircraft.
In 1971 India air dropped atleast 1000 Troops into bangladesh using some 50 Transport Aircraft.
India used Mi-8 to transport 3 battalions of Indian Army over a river in bangladesh.
India has large number of transport aircraft (250) and many helicopters(500) which they can decisively use in a full fledged war.
IAF also uses the largest helicopter in the world Mi-26 which is used effectively in high altitudes in kashmir.

Except in High altitudes in kashmir,Indian Army Mobility was far better.
Indian Army in the past had light russian tanks which could be easily transported.

. Anywayz, to introduce this concept, wouldn't be the smartest move as far as I can tell.

Yes exactly,ur right.
When will the army understand that its not quantity but they badly need quality.
Still they concentrate on numbers rather than effectiveness.
Its not important if we are buying 100 or 50, but those 50 must be as effective as 500 Normal guns.
A Single 155mm Artillery Gun which is firing Laser Guided shells is equal 10 Atrillery Guns which are firing normal munitions.
A single MLRS which is accurate could be equal to some 20 Artillery Guns.
Its important for the artillery to very light and compact so that is can easily transportable and rapidly deployable.

 

[kashifshahzad]

Re: Pakistan studying ‘Cold Start Doctrine’ of Indian Army

Yes exactly,ur right.
When will the army understand that its not quantity but they badly need quality.
Still they concentrate on numbers rather than effectiveness.
Its not important if we are buying 100 or 50, but those 50 must be as effective as 500 Normal guns.
A Single 155mm Artillery Gun which is firing Laser Guided shells is equal 10 Atrillery Guns which are firing normal munitions.
A single MLRS which is accurate could be equal to some 20 Artillery Guns.
Its important for the artillery to very light and compact so that is can easily transportable and rapidly deployable.

Yes dear the quality of guns does matter but dont you think that the quality of troops matter this is the age when one man can do the job if he has a quality gun in its hand i have heard that the guns which Isreali army have it is handy and can fire at a hig rate i have seen its pic in the small arms thread

 

[mysterious]

Re: Pakistan studying ‘Cold Start Doctrine’ of Indian Army

As far as studying the 'Cold Start Doctrine' goes, I'd say Pakistan Army has enough time to research and analyze every aspect of it by now and has prepared some sort of a counter strategy to nullify the effects that this doctrine was to have, as far as an Indo-Pak scenario is concerned.

 

[ArjunMK1]

Cold start emphasis on something like Blitzkriege in miniaturized scale .
It employs lightning strike on Pakistani establishment with superior armour and air cover and return to Indian strong holds with out giving enough time to Pak army to properly react.

Mod edit: Path: Comment edited to avoid flame. Please restraint yourself the next time you post.